Model surface finish



Jan. 25, 1966 P. l... MATEs ETAL MODEL SURFACE FINISH VACUUM 60,4 TVA/ .6 R no www W mc WMM 1.4 pd Mm f@ Fw 4 ce F @MY wr D @y @y w EN.. I 0 Mm 0M a M M w z U b w mm a U. s s P M Eintr ATTOE/VEYS United States Patent() 3,231,405 MQDEL SURFACE FINISH Philip L. Mates, Parli Ridge, and John J. Andrews, Streamwood, Ill., assignors to Hawk Model Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 229,125 2 Claims. (Cl. 117-8) The present invention relates generally to plastic models and specifi-cally to a surface finish for plastic models coated by vacuum metallizing which accurately conveys the visual impression in a model of a sheet metal sheathed prototype.

A high degree of perfection has been achieved in the model industry in faithfully reproducing the shape of prototypes in small scale plastic models. In cases Where the prototypes for the models constitute sheet metal covered machines, such as airplanes, trucks, tanks, steam shovels, etc., attempts to reproduce the metallic qualities of the surface have not been completely successful.

It is well known to coat such plastic models, as for example a model of an airplane, with a layer of aluminum applied by a standard vacuum metallizing technique. In this technique the plastic part is mounted Within a Vacuum chamber and a relatively high current is passed through an aluminum filament. The aluminum vaporizes and the individual aluminum particles are then deposited upon the plastic part and adhere thereto forming an extremely thin aluminum coating. This coating may then be ycovered with a layer of lacquer for protective purposes. Although such treatment substantially enhances the visual appearance of the plastic part as compared with a similar painted item, the surface has a uniform shiny appearance wherein adjacent areas are identical in surface texture. Of course, the prototype of such a model, for example an airplane, does not have a uniform surface appearance. Since the surface of the airplane is constructed of a plurality of individual sheet metal parts, many of which are of differing alloy mixtures and which have been subjected to differing manufacturing techniques, the surface textures of adjacent sheet metal parts are often different. Therefore, any model which seeks to accurately convey the rough appearance of the prototype must similarly have individual discreet surface areas of differing surface textures.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a surface for plastic models of metallic prototypes wherein the surface qualities of the prototype are accurately conveyed in the models. Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide models having differing surface textures on differing discreet surface areas of the models and to provide a method for the manufacture thereof.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided within a plastic model a surface treatment including border indicia defining discreet surface areas representing the respective areas on the skin of the prototype. The several discreet areas of the model are provided with differing surface textures including high polishes on some of the areas, visible honing in one direction on other areas, further visible honing in another direction on still other areas, and non-directional water honing on still further areas to produce a plurality of surace textures across the surface of the model.

In accordance with method aspects of the present invention, there is provided a method for the manufacture of plastic models which includes as a first step the formation of border indicia within the die or mold for the model to define discreet surface areas. The surface areas are then textured in differing patterns by the use of high polishes on some of those areas, stone honings in various directions on other of those areas and liquid honings on Patented Jan. 25, 1966 rice still further areas to produce a satin finish. The plastic model is then molded Within the mold or die to produce a plastic model incorporating such textured surface areas. The plastic part is placed within standard vacuum metallizing chambers in order to apply an aluminum coating thereon such to produce a metallic multi textured surface in simulation of the metallic multi textured surface of the prototype.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be best appreciated by a reference to the following detailed description of one presently preferred embodiment of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a diagrammatical process flow chart representing the various steps in the practice of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the fuselage of an airplane model incorporating a surface treatment of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the top of a wing section for a model airplane constructed according to the teachings of the present invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a chart designating the various surface treatments as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 a fuselage section 10 and a wing section 12, respectively, each of which is constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. Specifically, it may be seen that the surface of the model sections 10, 12, have been formed with a plurality of border indicia which, in the present illustrative case, comprise ridges and/or depressions as indicated at 14 and rivets as indicated at 16. These border indicia 14, 16 effectively define a plurality of discreet surface areas. For clarity of description those areas immediately adjacent the end of the wing are labeled A, B, C, D and E. It will be appreciated, of course, that the border indicia .14, 16 are formed such that the surface areas A, B, C, D, E, etc., conform to the areas of individual pieces of sheet metal as applied to the prototype of the given model. For example, the skin of an aircraft is commonly constructed of a number of sheets of aluminum or aluminum alloy which are riveted or welded to a frame in order to form a completed skin for the aircraft. The visual appearance conveyed by these separate pieces of metallic sheeting are reproduced in the model by providing border indicia 14, 16 and points corresponding to the edges of the several sheets of metal thus forming the discreet model areas A, B, C, D, E, etc. corresponding to the several sheets of metal on the prototype.

According to the present invention, the various surfaces of the discreet model areas A, B, C, D, E, etc., are treated with a variety of textures to more accurately simulate the appearance of the prototype. Specifically, the enumerated discrete areas A, B, C, D, and E, as may be seen by corollating the surface .indications in FIGURE 3 with the surface texture key on the drawings, have respectively, a horizontally directed matte finish, a highly polished shiny surface, a vertically directed mat-te fin-ish, a non-directional matte finish, and a further non-directional matte o-r satin finish.y Further examination of the `drawings will reveal lfurther random placement of individual discrete surface areas having a variety of surface textures.

In accordance with the method aspects of the present invention, model par-ts, such as the fuselage 10 and wing 12, as illustrated n FIGURES 2 and 3, are manufactured according to the process outlined in the flo-w diagram of FIGURE 1. The negative shape of the desired plastic model section is :formed in a mold according to well known technology and includes the negative shape of the various surface indicia which will effectively define the discreet 3 surface areas on the plastic model parts. After the general configuration of the mold is esta-blished, the negative surfaces of the mold are textured in order to produce corresponding textures on the finished plastic parts. Spe- 4 type comprising a plurality of border indicia formed integrally in the surface of said plastic model defining a plurality of discreet surface areas, said surface areas having different surface textures formed in the plastic of said ciiically, within the discreet surface areas as defined by 5 model, some of said surface areas havingasmooth polished the border indicia, t-he mold is provided with a number of different surface treatments. For example, one surface may be polished to a high degree of lustre by conventional polishing equipment and adjacent areas may be microscopically scratched with an oil stone in a given drection to provide a rough treatment having directional surface qualities. Still further adjacent areas may be -abraded ywith an air stream containing abrasive particles to produce a matte surface of varying roughness in either a directional or non-directional manner. Furthermore, the directional characteristic from one roughened surface to another may be varied to produce differing appearances in the finished model.

Following the prepara-tion of the mold, the par-ts are molded and directly after molding are subjected to a vacuum metallizing technique prior to any application of a surface covering which might smooth over the texture applied to the plastic model sections by the textured surfaces of the mold. The vacuum metallizing process which is utilized to provide a metal finish to the plastic part is accomplished according to processes Well known in the art.

It will be appreciated that the presen-t invention provides a metal coated plastic model construction which effectively and `faithfully reproduces the visual characteristics o-f la metal prototype and further provides a process for the manufacture thereof. Due to the fact that prototype objects which are sheathed with sheets of metal have surfaces which vary from one particular piece of metal to the next adjacent piece, it has heretofore Ibeen difcult t0 effectively reproduce the visual impression of those prototypes in plastic models, even when the models have been provided with a metallic surface finish. However, the applicant, by the invention disclosed lherein has obviated these prior failings in the model making art.

The foregoing is a description of just one illustra-tive embodiment of the present invention. Other embodiments may be produced incorporating the invention .by the `application of ordinary design skill. Therefore, the following claims should be interpreted broadly in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a plastic model of a sheet metal sheathed prototype, a surface in simulation of the surface of the protoplastic surface, other of said surface areas having a plurality of fine lines formed in the plastic surface in a first direction, still other of said surface areas having a plurality of line lines formed in the plastic surface in a second and different direction, and still other of said surface areas haV- ing a matte finish formed in the plastic surface, and a vacuum metalized layer superimposed over the entire sur- Aface of said plastic model and on said surface areas and said Iborder indicia and conforming to the different textures thereof for forming an accurate appearance of the sheet metal sheathed prototype.

2. In a plastic model of a sheet metal sheathed prototype, a surface in simulation of the surface of the prototype comprising `a plurality of .border indicia formed integrally in the surface of said plastic model defining a plurality of discreet surface areas, said surface areas having different surface textures formed in the plastic of said model, and a vacuum metalized layer superimposed on the entire surface of said plastic model and on said surface areas a-nd said 4border indicia and conforming to the dif- 'ferent textures of said surface areas forming an accurate appearance of the sheet metal sheathed prototype.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 376,605 1/ 1888 Matthews 117-8 2,214,646 1/1940 Walker 117--47 2,269,521 1/1942 Darrah 161-34 2,601,212 6/1952 POlydOrOl 18-47.5 2,636,301 4/ 1953 Wilmsen 41--24 2,941,254 6/ 1960 Swerlick 18--475 3,057,097 10/1962 Douglas 161-18 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,156,735 6/ 1956 France.

OTHER REFERENCES Metallaberflache, vol. 12, p. 264, Die Hochvakuumbedampfung, Ein Ver Fahren Zur Oberachen Ver Edlung 1958) RICHARD D. NEVIUS, Primary Examiner.

A. ROSENSTEIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A PLASTIC MODEL OF A SHEET METAL SHEATBED PROTOTYPE, A SURFACE IN SIMULATION OF THE SURFACE OF THE PROTOTYPE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BORDER INDICIA FORMED INTEGRALLY IN THE SURFACE OF SAID PLASTIC MODEL DEFINING A PLURALITY OF DISCREET SURFACE AREAS, SAID SURFACE AREAS HAVING DIFFERENT SURFACE TEXTURES FORMED IN THE PLASTIC OF SAID MODEL, SOME OF SAID SURFACE AREAS HAVING A SMOOTH POLISHED PLASTIC SURFACE, OTHER OF SAID SURFACE AREAS HAVING A PLURALITY OF FINE LINES FORMED IN THE PLASTIC SURFACE IN A FIRST DIRECTION, STILL OTHER OF SAID SURFACE AREAS HAVING A PLURALITY OF FINE LINES FORMED IN THE PLASTIC SURFACE IN A SECOND AND DIFFERENT DIRECTION, AND STILL OTHER OF SAID SURFACE AREAS HAVING A MATTE FINISH FORMED IN THE PLASTIC SURFACE, AND A VACUUM METALIZED LAYER SUPERIMPOSED OVER THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF SAID PLASTIC MODEL AND ON SAID SURFACE AREAS AND SAID BORDER INDICIA AND CONFORMING TO THE DIFFERENT TEXTURES THEREOF FOR FORMING AN ACCURATE APPEARANCE OF THE SHEET METAL SHEATHED PROTOTYPE. 